They have been there since World War II, and Phuket Governor Udomsak Asavarangura insists they will stay there, having discussed their future with the British Navy.

Udomsak said he had received a letter from the British ambassador asking the province to suppress any operations by East Marine SBS, who in April requested permission to salvage the "torpedoes", or Chariots, as they were known, which are believed to belong to the British Royal Navy.

Udomsak said the letter suggested the British Royal Navy had no intention of allowing the private company to do anything with the sunken vessels.

He said the navy was concerned the human torpedoes might be damaged during the salvage process, transportation or when they were inevitably put on display.

"It prefers scuba divers to see the vessel on the sea floor," the governor said.

The letter also said, according to international law, that sunken warships remain the property of the owner government.

The governor said the British government had the authority to stop their salvage.

"We also consulted with military diplomats, who said traditionally the British government did not recover sunken warships," Udomsak said.

The Chariots were secret naval weapons commissioned during World War II and sunk near Dok Mai Island while in action.

The British versions were electrically-propelled mini-submarines that carried two crewmen, who sat astride the vessel.

They steered the vessel at slow speeds towards enemy ships and used a detachable warhead as a limpet mine then rode the "torpedo" away.

Udomsak said Phuket planned to develop the area where the two vessels are lying as a recreational dive spot.

The Nation